Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-14

An old and prominent river man resld- |
ing in this city. former owner and builder
of more than score of steam vessels. re-
ferring TO the dccaIence of steamboating
on the Mississippi, expressed it as his
opinion that the state Of affairs alluded to
was attributable very largely to the filling
up of the river channel. which has driven
off all the large boats, and compelled the
use of nothing but small, light draft yes
sells, except in the very brief season of
high water, which usually comes in June;
that, IN his judgment. an unobstructed
channel of sufficient depth for the largest
boats and an open river all the season
round would restore the business of
steamboaling to its od-time activity and
enable vessels to successfully compete
with the railroads in the trans portation of
freights.
According to the authority above cited,
the money heretofore spent in cleaning
the channel of the Mississippi has done
but little practical good, and no substan-
tisl benefit will follow the appropriations
by congress for the improvement of nsv-
igatIon until some means is adopted to
prevent the obstruction of the channel by
people living along the river banks. For
years past the Mississippi has been the
receptacle for refuse matter of various
descriptions. which has rendered naviga-
ton impossible in certain seasons of low
water, even to light-drsft boats. Exten>
sive saw mills are located on the banks of
the river at Minneapolis, Hastings Port
Douglas Redwing, Winona, Lacrosse,
Lansing, North McGregor, Dubuque,
Belleview, Fulton, Lyons, Clinton, Mo-
line, Rock Island. Davenport, Muscatine.
Burlington, Fort Madison, Keokuk,
Quincy, Canton. Hannibal and Louisiana
But a small portion of the sawdust and
other refuse matter accommodating from
these mills is utilized as fuel, and the
residue, amounting to thousands of tons
annually is dumped into the river and
finds its way to the channels, blocking
them effectually. The evils of this prac-
tice are plainly noticeable from Minne>
apois to the head of the lake and from
the foot to ST. Louis. Between Hastings
and Minneapolis especially great bars of
sawdust, mixed with sand, have been
formed, and these are constantly shifting,
rendering navigation not only difficult
for large boats, but almost next to i'm
possible for all kinds of steam craft
These distractions have become so for
midable between the points above named
that St. Paul three months in each season
is little better than an inland town. The
City of Alma, twelve miles below Lake
Pepin, has q frontage on the river of a
little over a mile in length, the business
portion being built upon d narrow
plateau and against almost a sheer bluff
300 feet in height, the base being formed
into terraces for residences. The dirt and
rocks arising from excavations for cellars
and building foundations, amounting to
thousands upon thousands of tons. have
been thrown into the river and found
their way, like sawdust and other refuse
matter, into the channels. The same is
true of Upper Lacrosse, where the river
has long been made the general recepta,
Gle for dirt, gravel and rock taken from
excavations. The attention of congress
is to be called during the approaching
term by river men to the evil in question.